Last time: Zoey recalled her first day at SPRQ Point and how she became friends with Max when Danny Michael Davis made the “prehires” go through a competition to see who would get the limited open positions at the company. Zoey and Leif ultimately won but Max was hired about a month later after he and Zoey made Danny’s assistant obsolete with their final project.
As she was competing for her dream job, Zoey found out Mitch had rushed Maggie to the hospital with a possible heart attack. Maggie had to undergo surgery and the family rallied around her. David ran into Emily at the hospital, the spark of their relationship, and Mo was the driver who took Zoey from SPRQ Point to the hospital. Maggie pulled through but it was Zoey’s first brush with a possibly life-changing loss and she realized how fragile everything really was.
After some words of wisdom from her therapist, Zoey headed home and had an awkward encounter with Max. She reminded him of their winning invention, which he still had. We learned that Max had really gotten the job but had given it up for Zoey, something she didn’t know.
Here we are. The last episode of season 2. I really hope that this isn’t the last episode ever of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and continue to pray someone else can pick it up, even if the cast has been released from their contracts. Keep supporting the show and showing it love – that does help in attracting other interest.
Sing, sing a song/Let the world sing along/Sing of love there could be/Sing for you and for SPOILERS!
We open with Zoey waking up in bed. Simon starts us off with “Sing,” that classic song from Sesame Street. Everyone joins in as Zoey goes about her day – Maggie, David, Emily, Tobin, Leif, Danny Michael Davis, Mo, Max and Rose. Everyone but Zoey sings as she goes to bed, looking numb and depressed while everyone sings such a bright, cheery and uplifting song around her. It’s quite the contrast but certainly illustrates Zoey’s mood. She complains about it the next to Mo, who makes a comment about Zoey’s therapy sessions.
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| (How can you be glum when this song is playing?) |
Zoey says that most of her sessions are about Max rather than her powers. But she’s starting to think that maybe she did the wrong thing about pausing their relationship. Mo asks about Simon and Zoey believes she needs to break up with him, that it’s not fair to him that she is still hung up on Max. Mo encourages her to tell Max how she feels before he leaves for New York but Zoey says it will only be a couple months. Mo then points out everything he’s doing for Max’s goodbye party – including making taxi cookies that Zoey is not doing the best at decorating. Zoey notes the guest list includes everyone possible, including Danny Michael Davis and her family, and Mo asks if that sounds like a see you later party or a party for someone who is going to New York for a lot longer than a few months. It certainly gives Zoey something to think about.
Zoey then asks about Perry but Mo is still ignoring him, saying he doesn’t have time for someone who has doubts about being with him. So he’s just focusing on Max’s party for now.
Zoey heads to SPRQ Point for a work meeting. Danny Michael Davis asks for an update on the drone phone and Leif says they are being held up by litigation. There’s a small start up that also designed a drone phone and they are suing SPRQ Point. Danny Michael Davis perks up and adjourns the meeting so he can sic his lawyers on the start up, saying that by the time they are done, phones will be obsolete and we’ll just communicate by blinking our eyes. He tries to demonstrate it before leaving.
Tobin and McKenzie then stand up to announce that they have notified HR that they are a couple, per company policy. So they are official and he says if they are making out in a stairway, it’s okay. McKenzie then clears her throat and Tobin clarifies that it will be unlikely as they respect each other’s boundaries. Everyone congratulates them and everyone leaves except for Zoey and Simon. They both agree they need to talk and Simon says that they should break up. Zoey sits there a moment before saying that was easy and we get our title card.
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| (Stunned) |
Simon and Zoey go for a walk by the harbor in a nice full circle moment. He says that he’s been thinking about their relationship and feels that they had essentially formed a trauma bond. And that while Zoey seems to understand him in a way no one has before, he never will do the same for her because there’s a part of her that is always kept hidden. Zoey says she’s been trying and he says that may be part of the problem – if they were meant to be together, she wouldn’t have to try. She agrees and says that their connection was real. He confirms it was and that he will be grateful for how she helped him get through his grief over his father. She says he helped her too and they agree to be friends going forward.
At Max’s, he’s busy trying to pack everything in his closet into his suitcase. Rose teases him and says that he can leave somethings behind. She then pulls something from the mess of clothes on his bed and reveals that it is the coffee delivering device from the last episode. Rose asks about it and he insists it’s nothing. She says that he was going to pack it so it couldn’t be nothing and he says that it was something he and Zoey created during their SPRQ Point orientation. He puts it aside but it still gives Rose something to think about.
David holds up two shirts that are different shades of blue and ask which one is more appropriate for a New York nightlife themed party. Emily tells him they both look alike to her so he picks one and goes to change. Maggie then laughs as she looks at her phone so Emily asks her what she’s looking at. Maggie explains that she went back on Facebook for the first time in forever and reconnected with her old high school boyfriend, Eric. They’ve been texting a lot lately and Maggie has been enjoying their exchanges. Emily thinks that’s great but David is worried that Eric may not really be Eric and may be some scammer or serial killer. Maggie tells him not to worry so much and Emily gives him a look that sends him to go change into the other shirt.
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| (Look at how happy Maggie is!) |
Mo puts out a sign saying that Maximo’s is closed for a private event as Zoey helps Maggie finish handing out the taxi cookies. She explains that she and Simon broke up but it was amicable. Maggie is glad that it wasn’t painful but does feel bad for her daughter. Zoey, though, just wants to focus on Max and Rose that night. She and Simon even agree to that, promising not to talk about their breakup…but it’s then the first thing she says when they walk in.
Awkward.
Rose definitely looks suspicious.
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| (Rose also looks amazing in that dress) |
Danny Michael Davis shows up and he’s bummed that more people found out about his late night hikes. With Mo still moping about Perry and the awkward moment Zoey created, she decides to remind everyone that they are there to celebrate Max and Rose and that everyone should take whatever’s bothering them and, well, shake it off. Which is the song everyone breaks out into while she’s making her announcement. Two group numbers in one episode? Nice!
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| (Shake it off! Shake it off!) |
Zoey ends her little speech as the party really begins. She has a few conversations before excusing herself to help Mo, clearly anxious and on edge. Mo says that Zoey can restrain him as we see that Perry has crashed the party. He asks Mo for a second chance but Mo refuses to listen to him, heading up to the second floor. They even put Danny Michael Davis on “distract Perry duty” and it’s hilarious.
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| (Oh, Danny Michael Davis) |
Zoey follows and we get to hear Perry and Mo duet on “We Can Work It Out” by the Beatles. And they sound amazing on it. We deserve a third season if just for more Perry and Mo duets.
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| (Amazing) |
After the song ends, Zoey tells Mo that Perry really is interested in making things work with Mo. And that Mo really wants to make things work with him. So Mo lets Perry stay and gives him hope of reconciliation.
Leif meanwhile seeks out Simon. He tells Simon that the start up Danny Michael Davis wants to crus his a start up run by minorities. He feels guilty now for telling Danny about them and doesn’t think suing them out of existence is a good look for SPRQ Point’s new direction. Simon asks him to send over a link to the company and promises to take care of it.
Mo gives a little speech, thanking Max for convincing him to jump into the unknown and proving that friends can be partners. He also celebrates that they are franchising and exclaims he’s going to be rich. Maggie and Simon also give short speeches directed at Max before Zoey decides to give one as well. She talks about their first day at SPRQ Point and how they became best friends that day, even if she got the job and he originally didn’t. Tobin, Leif and Danny all have confused faces and Max gets nervous. Zoey finishes by wishing Max and Rose all the best in New York.
Leif starts to correct Zoey about how she got the job at SPRQ Point but Max stops him. Zoey is confused and she turns to Danny, asking him what’s going on. Danny reveals that she hadn’t gotten the job and that he had picked Max. But Max had turned it down and advocated for Zoey to get it instead so Danny hired her. She tells him that’s not what happened but Danny reminds her that he was there and that’s what happened. He then excuses himself, giving a short speech that’s all about him before leaving.
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| (They know something's off) |
Zoey confronts Max in the kitchen and he admits that it was true. She is angry and says that she thought she had gotten the job based on her own merits but now she’s learned it was all a lie. Max tells her that he gave up the job for her because he knew she deserved it, that she had the determination, passion and skills to be a great coder. It’s clear that Zoey wants to stay angry at him but can’t after that. She thanks him but says that was something she should’ve known years ago. He nods before heading back out to the party. Zoey stops him and says she’ll miss him. He doesn’t respond and just leaves the kitchen.
Ouch.
We next see Zoey at a meeting in SPRQ Point but she has no clue what it’s for. No one answers her when she asks so she just dismisses them and apologizes for not being prepared. She then turns off the screen behind her and she sees Mitch standing in her office. Zoey turns around slowly and is so happy to see him. He apologizes for taking so long to come see where she works and she takes him to her office. As they head toward it, she spots Max at his old desk. He greets Mitch and then turns back to his work.
Zoey shows Mitch her office and they talk for a bit before Max shows up with a suitcase. He tells her that he has to go and walks toward the elevator. A voice says that the flight to far away is boarding now and he looks back before getting on the elevator, the doors closing behind him.
She then admits to her father that she messed up. Mitch asks her why she doesn’t tell Max how she feels and Zoey says that he is so happy with Rose and going to New York. Mitch realizes she’s also scared (though I thought it was going in the direction that she didn’t want to be the person trying to break him up) and is sorry that she feels so uncertain because of what happened to him. Zoey asks for some advice but he doesn’t have much to give her about Max.
He does, however, have some advice in general. And because it would be criminal to have Peter Gallagher and not let him sing, he presents it in a song – “I Lived.” He and Zoey dance around the empty SPRQ Point set as an orchestra appears to play behind them. It is so sweet and a wonderful scene between father and daughter.
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| (A more joyful father-daughter dance) |
Zoey then sits up in bed and seems to be more at peace.
She rushes across the hall to Mo’s and bangs on the door until Perry lets her in. Zoey greets him and he’s a little put out but Mo welcomes her in. Zoey tells Mo that she had a dream where she got to talk to her father and she realizes she needs to stop being afraid. That she needs to take the leap into the unknown. Mo is impressed that one dream did what several therapy sessions hadn’t yet. Zoey asks about Max’s flight and Mo says it’s in a couple hours so he’s already on the way to the airport. So Zoey says she needs to go to the airport so she can tell him how she feels. Mo says to give him a moment to get dressed – he’s been with her so far, he doesn’t want to miss the climax.
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| (Mo? Mo? Mo?) |
At the Clarke house, Emily finds a forlorn Maggie. Emily asks her what is wrong and Maggie says she should be banned from social media. That surprises Emily and Maggie shows her a recent text from Eric, where he mentions watching TV with his wife. Emily is sympathetic but tells Maggie this is a good sign. Maggie is a bit confused until Emily says that if she is disappointed Eric is married, that means she’s getting ready to date again. Maggie is impressed and asks about this new Emily, who says the medicine she on makes her feel things, such as hope.
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| (Maggie is still happy. Yay!) |
Which does raise some questions about Emily before the postpartum. Was she struggling and never really realized it before? Or did she buy into the “emotionless lawyer” stereotype too much?
Simon meets with Danny Michael Davis, who doesn’t realize it was time for their meeting due to no longer wearing a watch. Simon proposes a program where SPRQ Point mentors start ups with a focus on minority-owned ones. And he proposes the first one to be the start up they were going to sue. Danny is a little disappointed not to crush them legally but agrees and puts Simon in charge, though Danny has some concerns about Simon’s other duties. Simon asks to focus on this, saying it’s more in line with his passions and Danny agrees.
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| (Hug it out!) |
Zoey arrives at the airport and spots Max getting out of a car with Rose. Mo asks her what she’s going to say and Zoey says she’s just going to wing it. Mo cheers her on as she gets out of the car.
Zoey approaches the two but then she hears Max sing “When a Man Loves a Woman” and it appears he is singing it to Rose. Heartbroken, Zoey returns to the car. Mo asks what happened and Zoey says she heard Max sing a heart song to Rose and that he truly loves her. She says she’s too late and they head home.
At SPRQ Point, McKenzie comes in to speak with Zoey. She says that she’s sorry about her relationship with Simon and asks Zoey if they ended it because they worked together. McKenzie is worried it might mean she and Tobin won’t work out because they are colleagues. Zoey starts to answer when she hears music. She excuses herself and crosses to Simon’s office where he starts off with a soft song that then bursts into one of happiness, singing “I’m Still Standing.” Zoey is pleased he’s doing well and returns to her office, assuring McKenzie that she and Simon broke up due to non-work factors. McKenzie and Tobin should be fine.
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| (He's still standing) |
Maggie calls for a family meeting with David, Emily and Zoey. David worries that his mother is having money troubles and needs to sell the house. He offers to buy it with Emily and that they could rent out Zoey’s room. Maggie says she’s fine but is glad David has a plan. She says that she wanted to let them know that she is considering dating again so that when she is ready to date, they would be prepared – especially after David’s reaction to Eric. Emily thinks it’s great and David says he’ll work on being okay. Zoey also thinks it’s great and says that Mitch would’ve wanted them all to keep living.
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| (Nice call back to the season premiere) |
We then hear a musical reprise of “I Lived” as we get glimpses of our characters. Mo and Perry have dinner together as his children race around the apartment. Emily and David put Milo down for the night and watch him sleep, smiles on their faces. McKenzie and Tobin make out in one of the pod chairs at SPRQ Point. Simon mentors the start up team in his office.
(No Leif though. Weird).
It finishes with Zoey sitting in the park fiddling with the music note ring Max gave her in the season premiere. He tells her that it still won’t make her invisible and she looks up to find him standing by the bench. She’s surprised and asks why he’s not in New York. He replies that he and Rose broke up at the airport. She could tell that he was in love with someone else and he realized he couldn’t leave Zoey. Max says that he knows there will always be a power imbalance since Zoey’s powers give her an insight he won’t have but he’s willing to accept that to be with her.
Zoey starts to give him a speech about her own feelings when music starts to play. She starts singing “Melt With You” and does a whole routine with the people in the park. It’s always a treat when Jane Levy gets to sing and this is no different.
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| (Going out with a big number) |
The song ends and Zoey finishes telling Max that she wants to be with him. He blinks a few times before telling Zoey that he just heard her sing a heart song. They stare at each other before they both give a good “WTF?”
And we end on the title card.
Wow.
I have some thoughts so let me see if I can collect them.
Creator Austin Winsburg has gone on the record as saying that he did not craft this to be a series finale. And for the most part, it did feel more like a season finale rather than a series finale. I’m not sure if it’s because I watched it after the cancellation but that montage of almost everyone shown living their lives felt a little bit like a montage out of a series finale to me.
I also feel like this was also a goodbye to Simon as well. That even if the show gets picked up for a third season, John Clarence Stewart may not return (and even before they released the cast from their contracts). His relationship with Zoey ended and he was now pursuing something that really excited him. I think “I’m Still Standing” was really him coming full circle after his first song being “Mad World.” He survived the mad world and is still standing. He’s going to be fine and it feels like his story is done. And as much as I love Simon and Stewart, I would be okay if this was indeed the case. I’d rather the character go out on top rather than just peter out as the writers struggle to do something with him.
I am also glad that Mo and Perry reconciled. I believe they are endgame but hope that we get a third season just to hear David St. Louis and Alex Newell sing more duets together!
I’m also glad Maggie is getting ready to move on to a new chapter in her life. I think that would open up some great storylines for the future (should the show get picked up elsewhere) and have the potential for some fun guest stars!
As for David and Emily, I’m not sure if they would remain regulars. I think going back to recurring would be good for them but I hope they continue to explore some storylines for them. Maybe David trying to figure out what to do as Milo gets older and Emily really delving into what being the Golden Child did to her.
I would also like to see Leif get a very good storyline if we get a third season. Michael Thomas Grant is an absolute treasure and deserves to be used more. Does he feel like a third wheel with Tobin and McKenzie hooking up? Does it spurn him to find love as well? And what does happen with Tobin and McKenzie – happily ever after or do they move to Splitsville as well?
I’m going to miss Rose. I did like her. I hope Katie Findlay gets cast in something soon. Or maybe she can come back and possibly have something with Leif if we get a season 3.
And now to Max and Zoey.
I’ve never really shipped anyone on this show but I did realize this season I was rooting more for Simon and Zoey rather than Max and Zoey. But I am not upset that this was the direction the show went in because they did build a good path to it (though there were a few bumps I’ll go into in another post. This one is getting long enough). So it will be interesting to see where they take it if we get a season 3.
The twist at the end would be amazing to explore in Season 3. I could see it going two way – Max somehow now shares Zoey’s powers and can hear heartsongs as well. Or Zoey’s powers have mutated so that now Max can hear her heartsongs but no one else’s. And if so, could it continue to mutate until more people hear her heartsongs as well?
I think either would be great arcs and I think it’s time more people learn about Zoey’s secret. I thought it was leading to Simon learning about it but I guess not. So I hope we get a season 3 somewhere just so we can see what happens next for these characters.
So this is it! I really do remain hopeful that we will somehow get a season 3, that someone somewhere will save our beloved Zoey, so I remain hopeful that I will recap the show again soon. But I want to thank everyone who has read my recaps for your support. I hope you enjoyed my recaps and views.
I hope to see you all again soon!
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